New movies opening in Des Moines this weekend

Mar. 14, 2013

"The Call"

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The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2 stars out of 4)

Plot: Superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and his partner, Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi), have reigned as kings of the Las Vegas strip for years. Their work rakes in millions of dollars, but the biggest illusion yet is their friendship, for -- now -- time and familiarity have bred contempt between them. When a street magician's increasing popularity threatens to knock them off their thrones, Burt and Anton recognize that they have to repair the relationship and salvage the act.

The Call (2 stars out of 4)

Plot: A veteran operator for an emergency call-center, Jordan (Halle Berry) saves lives daily as part of her job, but when a young woman's frantic report of a prowler ends tragically, Jordan is devastated. She decides to pack it in on the front lines and -- instead -- teach others the ropes of the high-pressure job. But when a call from a kidnapped teen (Abigail Breslin) comes in, Jordan takes charge as never before and turns the girl into a partner in helping to save her life.

A Place at the Table (not reviewed)

Plot: Fifty million people in the U.S.—one in four children—don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush examine the issue of hunger in America through the lens of three people struggling with food insecurity: Barbie, a single Philadelphia mother who grew up in poverty and is trying to provide a better life for her two kids; Rosie, a Colorado fifth-grader who often has to depend on friends and neighbors to feed her and has trouble concentrating in school; and Tremonica, a Mississippi second-grader whose asthma and health issues are exacerbated by the largely empty calories her hardworking mother can afford.

Lore (not reviewed)

Plot: Left to fend for themselves after their SS officer father and mother, staunch Nazi believers, are interred by the victorious Allies at the end of World War II, five German children undertake a harrowing journey that exposes them to the reality and consequences of their parents' actions. Led by the eldest sibling, 14-year old Lore (striking newcomer Saskia Rosendahl), they set out on a journey across a devastated country to reach their grandmother in the north. After meeting the charismatic Thomas, a mysterious young refugee, Lore soon finds her world shattered by feelings of both hatred and desire as she must learn to trust the one person she has always been taught to hate in order to survive. Lush cinematography and an evocative, haunting mood infuse this unconventional take on the Holocaust legacy with unforgettable impact.